Osian's Auction Catalogue ABC Series III | March 2007

ABC Series III 35 29 JAMINI ROY (1887–1972) National Art Treasure Krishna & Kaliya Signed in Bengali ‘Jamini Roy’ l.r. Tempera on canvas, early 1950s 23.0 x 36.2 in (58.5 x 92.0 cm) Condition Flaking in various places INR 1,800,000 – 2,250,000 Non Exportable Item ‘In Jamini Roy’s painting, a gure, an animal or any ornamental motif cannot be understood at is face value. He transforms his objects and gures with the intention of uncovering a stream of experiences shared by the community. His choice of subjects consisted by the elements of ecstatic dancing, the rhythms of music and song, animal motif etc., all are evidence of the insidious triumph of folk imagination over the orthodox mind. But nevertheless these subjects borrowed from history, mythology, tended to be historical, without getting a contemporary social relevance. They became a summary account of the medieval folk tradition.’ – Amit Mukhopadhyay rpt. in LKC 32 April 1985 ; p28. 30 JAMINI ROY (1887–1972) National Art Treasure Krishna Series Signed in Bengali ‘Jamini Roy’ l.r. Tempera on canvas, early 1950s 17.7 x 48.0 in (45.0 x 122.0 cm) Condition Flaking in various places INR 1,800,000 – 2,250,000 Non Exportable Item ‘Jamini Roy is the rst modern painter who has reafrmed the authentic Indian pictorial language which one instantly recognizes and acclaims. In his quest for pure painting he nds it necessary to deny certain aspects of modern life. He asserts that he does not recognize the contemporary social or political structure, its torn, formless, amorphous existence, devoid of unity and design. He has the courage too, to hold rmly to his beliefs. He does not mind either, in holding fast to the Bengal that is gone for ever. One is rewarded in his pictures with a sufciency of locale but time seems to stand still and hesitant, inarticulate…’ – Amrita rpt. in LKC 2 December 1964 ; p18. 31 NANDALAL BOSE (1882–1966) National Art Treasure Untitled S/d in Bengali ‘Shri Nandalal Bose 57’ l.r. Woodcut, 1957 5.0 x 12.0 in (12.8 x 30.6 cm) INR 120,000 – 150,000 Non Exportable Item ‘Among the artists of his time Nandalal was unique in creating formal drawings as works of art. His themes are imaginative gures, stylized and imbued with his love for decorative form. ‘The plasticity of his art harmonises with its simultaneous graphic and linear quality.’ The lines are like those that dene Indian sculpture. They are taut and have a tensile strength, though executed with the brush. They are informed with style… The gestures and bodily movements are those seen in our ancient art as much as in the stance and gait of contemporary people. Nandalal’s achievement was to grasp the essence to form with a minimum of means.’ Jaya Appasamy in ‘Nandalal – Master Draughtsman’, reprinted in Nandalal Bose (1882-1966): Centenary Exhibition. New Delhi: NGMA 1982, ExC p27.